Hike: Good Messaging App for Android

Instant messaging (IM) has become a trend these days especially with the
youth. A trend, pioneered by the immensely popular WhatsApp IM
application, others like Nimbuzz and Samsung's proprietary ChatON
messenger are trying to follow suit as well.

The latest entrant
in this genre is Hike, a communication app that offers both instant
messaging and SMS under one roof. Developed by Bharti Softbank, a 50-50
partnership between India's Bharti Telecom and Japan's Softbank telecom
provider, the app is the brainchild of Kavin Bharti Mittal.

Hike offers messaging in three different ways. Hike-to-Hike messaging
with other phones is unlimited and free worldwide. Second, you can
communicate with other smartphone users who don't have Hike via SMS,
which is only restricted to India at the moment. Finally, you can
message any other phone user via SMS. But beware, if you constantly bug
another user with Hike, they are given a code that they can use to block
you.

On the bright side, each Hike user gets 100 Free Hike SMS
every month to message those friends who aren't on Hike., which gets
replenished each month and in case any friend joins the app on your
request via SMS, you get 10 Free SMS extra and the company will also be
awarding each user with 50 free SMS per month for each friend they have
invited to Hike. Other ways of inviting friends are through Facebook,
Twitter and email.

The user interface of Hike is very clean, simple and basic with pleasant
hues of white and blue. Once you've downloaded the app, you'll be
prompted to enter your mobile number. While the iOS version sends a
6-digit verification code via SMS that expires within a minute
(reminiscent of Google Authenticator), the Android version simply greets
you to the welcome screen asking you to enter your name and complete
the registration. This is then followed by a tutorial of the app's
basics.

Also, as soon as you enter the app, an Inbox message
welcomes you with a reward of Rs.10. Every time you successfully invite a
friend via SMS you earn credit of an additional Rs.20. In order for you
to earn rewards, your friends must download and activate the app soon
after you invite them.

Using the app is fairly simple. The app smoothly integrates your entire
existing phone contacts. You can access various menu options such as
Home, Invite Friends, Free Messaging and more by swiping left. Swiping
right reveals Search bar along with Favourites and Friends on Hike.

Once you send a message you can see sent (S), delivered (D), read and
typing (...) notifications, similar to WhatsApp, which has a different
notification convention. Apart from the standard Emojis on your device,
Hike has its own set of emoticons for variety.